The quartz-halogen lamp is more properly described as a tungsten-halogen lamp, in that its basic operative mechanism for creating light is a tungsten-halogen reaction induced in tbe presence of extreme high temperatures. In typical operation, tungsten particles evaporate from the lamp filament and collide with the halogen gas particles (either iodine or bromine), resulting in a chemical (combination) formation of a halide. Proximate the filament, and at high temperatures, the halide will dissociate; thereafter, tungsten particles are deposited on the filament and the halogen gas released subsequently engages in another of the aforementioned combination. Because of the intense light and heat, a substance, oommonly quartz, is used to provide an hermetically sealed envelope about the tungsten filament, i.e., enveloping the halogen. Because the intense light of the quartz lamp is the objective of using such a device, quartz is selected for its excellent light transmission properties. It is also a material that is inert to the halide-forming reaction taking place within the lamp at such extreme temperatures (Approximately 260.degree. C. to 370.degree. C. at the envelope). An undesirable, if not disadvantageous, aspect of the tungsten-halogen lamp is the high heat that is radiated from the discrete device. That such heat in proximity of the lamp is a disadvantage, and moreover a disadvantage about which very little has been done, is apparent from a study of the prior art. The instant inventor has sought to use the waste heat (waste because it is undesirable), collect it, and transfer it to a place where it may be suitably used and appreciated. In his contemporaneous study of the prior art dealing with heaters, the inventor was given relative assurance that this aspect of waste heat employment has not heretofore been exploited.
Relevant patents dealing with or revealing the intense heat of the tungsten-halogen (quartz) lamp would be those similar to U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,833, issued to Oetken et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,591,752, issued to Thouret et al. In the former, Oetken describes the commencement of the Tungsten-Halogen reaction when the lamp envelope is sufficiently high, such is on the order of 250.degree. C., or greater. Therein-Oetkin makes no suggestion on how to dispose of this extreme heat. Thouret, on the other hand, clearly recognizes not only the intense heat problem, but also the likelihood of envelope explosion. In order to ameliorate such a condition, Thouret developed a tungsten-halogen lamp that had an internal element with a high fill gas pressure. It is mounted within a mechanically strong transparent envelope which includes a heat conductiVe gas in the space between the element and the outer envelope. The purpose of the heat conductive gas was, however, secondary to the provision of an outer envelope to contain any elemental particles should the inner element explode. What is apparent from a reading of the Thouret patent is that inventor's purpose for providing the gas of high heat conductivity between the light producing element and the outer envelope was to immediately reduce the specific surface loading of the glass or quartz elemental envelope, so that its size might be drastically reduced. The gas filling the outer envelope was contained static therein; and, the character of the class of gases suggested, mandated continued containment. Thus, the heat transferring fluid (the gases) of the Thouret invention were not usable, nor could their use conceivably suggest the type of heat transferring fluid contemplated by the inventor of the instant invention.
Pawlik et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,494, suggests the use of air as a fluid in his throughflow electric heater. His heating elements are a plurality of nickel-chromium steel heating tubes that are arrayed parallel in and colinear with a heating chamber. Effectively, the Pawlik device comprises a series of thermoelectric elements that intrude directly into the airflow. Similar to the Pawlik invention, was that of Brognano et al., disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,289,954. Therein, a similar electrical heating element is exposed directly to the transfer fluid, in this case water. In the Brognano invention, water is introduced to a reservoir containing the heating elements, is exposed to the heating elements and, with its temperature then elevated, is subsequently exposed to a separate coil containing water which is to be heated and removed, perhaps for potable purposes. In the Brognano invention the initial flow of water, passing over the heating elements, constitutes the actual heat transfer fluid. Other state of the art immersion heaters, for example Inskip et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,510,375 and Banta et al., (U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,178) are later examples akin to the Pawlik and the Brognano art. Nonetheless, none of the aforesaid inventors have suggested the use of tungsten-halogen lamps, either of the quartz or alternative type, as the heating elements of an electric powered heater.